Mighty Max helps Team GB to Olympic Games qualification

The Team GB men, back row, are on their way to Rio next summer after securing Olympic Games qualification in Glasgow. Picture (c) Jeff Holmes

Published:10:30Tuesday 27 October 2015

Share this article

Great Britain will send a full men’s gymnastics team to the 2016 Olympic Games after placing an impressive third in qualification at the 2015 World Gymnastics Championships in Glasgow.

The British men’s team of Max Whitlock, Daniel Purvis, Louis Smith MBE, Kristian Thomas, Nile Wilson and Brinn Bevan scored 354.417 points to trail Japan and China, and will go into Wednesday’s team finals with strong ambitions to win Britain’s first ever World Championship team medal.

GB team captain Kristian Thomas said: “Getting the GB team to Rio was absolutely the number one priority coming in to these World Championships and we’re all delighted to have got the job done.

“Every member of the team contributed and we go into the team final knowing we have even more to offer to push for a medal.

“We’re all loving being here in Glasgow – the arena is brilliant and the crowd went crazy for us; we are hoping for more of the same in the finals!”

Needing a top-eight finish after the two day qualification competition, the result means Team GB will send a full complement of five male gymnasts to Rio next summer.

The qualifications also decided which gymnasts made it to the individual finals.

Scotsman Purvis thrived off his home crowd support to score 88.956 and makes Friday’s all-around final alongside Hemel Hempstead ace Max, who finished with a total of 88.365.

That equalled the score of his team-mate Wilson, with Max progressing via the tie break and the ‘two per country into finals’ ruling.

Smith topped the pommel horse standing and will compete with Max in Saturday’s final, with both in medal contention. Max will also compete in the floor final along with Purvis, with Wilson making the parallel bars final.